One young Badgers player who saw the field — and will continue to do so all season with regularity — is sophomore Jonathan Taylor.

The Badgers’ starting running back rushed for 253 yards on 33 carries, eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the 12th time in his 16 games at Wisconsin. He also topped 200 yards for the fourth time — becoming just the sixth UW running back to that many 200+-yard games, joining Montee Ball (4), Anthony Davis (5), Ron Dayne (14), Melvin Gordon (7) and Billy Marek (5).

Taylor also became just the eighth Wisconsin running back to rush for 250 or more yards and the first to do it since Gordon in the 2015 Outback Bowl. The others: Bennett (twice), Zach Brown, Brian Calhoun, Davis, Dayne (four times), Gordon (four times) and Marek.

It’s only been two games and it’s hard to imagine Taylor can keep up this pace, but his average of 199 yards rushing per game leads the nation is more than 40 yards more than the next-highest in college football (San Diego State’s Juwan Washington at 157 yards per game).

Taylor is already 14th on Wisconsin’s all-time rushing list and, health provided, by the end of this season he should be at work eighth and at best fifth. And he’ll be back for at least one more season. Soak it in, Badgers fans.

Here’s the complete rundown of the young Badgers after the first two games:

“TRUE” FRESHMEN

Travian Blaylock, CBWestern Kentucky: Played, did not record a statistic
New Mexico: Played, did not record a statistic

Donte Burton, CBWestern Kentucky: 1 tackle (solo)
New Mexico: Did not play